FA to pay Ashton compensation

02 Feb 2011 22:07:21

The Football Association have agreed an out-of-court settlement with Dean Ashton after the former West Ham striker's legal action for his injury suffered on England duty. Ashton sued the FA for compensation after he was forced to retire after a lengthy battle against an injury picked up during an England training session in August 2006. Now 27, Ashton suffered the ankle injury following a tackle by Shaun Wright-Phillips in training. He retired in December 2009 following a recurrence of the injury and launched legal action against the FA.The amount of compensation he will receive has not been announced. The FA said: "The FA is pleased to announce that the legal proceedings brought by Dean Ashton following his unfortunate injury during training the day before his debut for England in August 2006 have been settled upon terms mutually acceptable to the parties and their insurers. It is a term of the settlement that no further statement will be made by any of the parties." Ashton played for West Ham following his injury and won his his sole England cap in 2008 before the recurrence of the ankle injury led to his surgeon to advise him to retire or risk such damage he would be unable to walk. West Ham are thought to be preparing their own compensation claim against the FA for as much as £10.5million.